Rex's Downfall
by AprilRyn
Summary: This story is a modernization of an Oedipus Rex passage. Script form. Takes place in High School. Some parts can be seen as humorous. Done as an english paper, briefly mentions a school Principal as Apollo. There's a Posse. Yes. Posse. Continued if liked.


_Rex's Downfall_

_AN_: I started this script as an assignment for english, as a modernization of a passage in Oedipus Rex. I thought I would post my group's work to see what the response would be. I can't name them because of discretion in anonymity, but they do deserve credit for the parts of Tiresia, Leader, and Posse. Oedipus, and all such characters along with the original story this is based off belong to Sophocles (lol), the only things my group and I can take credit for are the translated parts, the summary, the modified names, and some stage cues.

Hope all readers enjoy!

~Ryn

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Rated T

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Summary:

Oedipus is known as Rex, Tiresias as Tiresia, Apollo as Foley, Creon as Chris, and the chorus as the Posse. Rex is trying to figure out who killed Laius and Tiresia is brought in to help so that the school can have their annual Theban High dance. Rex and Tiresia begin to argue, their anger raising steadily as time moves on. Rex walks away from her—having had enough of her insolence—at which Tiresia tries to subtly hint at the truth behind the murder of Laius. Rex doesn't believe her and tries to send her away. His first attempt is futile; Tiresia exposing the riddle that will be the key to solving the murder mystery.

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_(Rex walks swiftly onstage, slamming 'postponed until further notice' signs over the signs on the wall for the annual dance. Keeping his emotions under lock and key, Rex addresses his posse.)_

_Rex:_

_Everyone_ is praying to the gods? _Ha_! _I'll_ give you what you want. Listen up people—do what I say, it's all good. I'm _telling_ you guys, if you saw what happened, we'd all be partying hard like we _**deserve**_! We'd _know_ who did it, instead of _worrying_ about who it was. Being a _true_ Theban High _king_, I ask you my fellow Thebans: if _anyone_ here knows who killed my man Laius, _I_ want to know. We won't _beat you up_ or _call the cops_, I promise, I just _need _to know who it was, because they need to _serve their debt_ and transfer schools. If you let me know, I'm _sure_ we can work out a _nice reward_, but don't _protect_ the killer. _Curse_ him, let him _suffer_, if he is one of my posse then _curse_ me too. Because I _**will**_ find him one way or another.

_(Leader comes to stand by Rex timidly, noticing his friend's well-concealed rage)_

_Leader:_ I _swear _I did not kill him and I _don't_ know who did. Foley started this search, so _**he **_should tell us who the killer is!

_(Slightly startled at his sudden appearance, Rex's emotional mask slips. He addresses his loyal companion)_

_Rex:_ Sure, but I don't think forcing his _'mighty hand'_ will work.

_Leader:_ Then I think the next best thing is…

_Rex_: _Yeah_…

_Leader_: I _still_ think Tiresia sees things like Foley, so you will figure out the truth from her.

_Rex:_ I've been _trying_ to get her, but Chris has been bugging me, so I sent the posse _twice_, but she's been a no-show.

_Leader:_ We _need_ her, right now there are only rumors.

_(Rex—alarmed—turns toward his friend, making eye contact.)_

_Rex_: _What_ rumors? _I'll_ find out who started them.

_Leader_: _(answers hesitantly)_…That Laius was killed by the _Traveler's Team_.

_(AN: Traveler's Team is the Theban rival, modern version of 'other nations')_

_(Rex disregards this as useless chatter.)_

_Rex_: Yeah, but nobody can _find_ the _killer_.

_Leader_: If the man is scared, he won't stay silent after hearing all about your _curse_.

_Rex_: If he didn't think about _killing_, there's no way _words_ scare him.

_Leader_: He is the _only_ _one_ who knows the truth.

_(Rex spots Tiresia making her way over to them)_

_Rex_: _(Yells jokingly) Hey_! Tiresia, super blind master of seeing the future! We need your help. We asked Foley—my guys _probably didn't tell you_—he said to us _"You young people can have the dance, once you find out who the murderer is."_ _Please_ help us find the creep. You're our _only_ _hope_.

_Tiresia_: _(mutters darkly) _How...How _horrible_ it is to know the truth, for the _truth_ will only hurt the ones who know.

_Rex_: _(confused) _Huh? What's with the _angst_?

_Tiresia_: _(spiteful response) _Just _leave me alone_. You bear _**your **_burdens, and I'll bear _**mine**_.

_Rex_: Interesting… and _uncalled_ for… _What_ are you _hiding_?

_Tiresia_: You don't see, it's _ironic_ you would say that.

_Rex_: For the love of god, just _**tell**_ us!

_Tiresia_: None of you know, and I won't tell these horrible secrets.

_(Rex begins to lose his patience, and his temper)_

_Rex_: _**Say it!**_ Don't be a _traitor_.

_Tiresia_: I'd rather not hurt you, or _me_ for that matter, so _why_ are you asking _useless_ questions?

_Rex_: You'd say _nothing_? You _idiot_! _Just tell me_!

_Tiresia_: Here _you_ dislike _my_ mannered temper, but you are _unaware_ of your own.

_Rex_: Well _who_ could stay calm _listening_ _to you_?!

_Tiresia_: I will tell you _this_ and only _this_, _submit_ yourself to follow your own rules and don't talk to _me_ or _any_ of these people again, _you_ are the reason we all suffer.

_(Rex has almost lost it, becoming gradually more enraged as his companion cowers into the background)_

_Rex_: You _son of a_—, you _won't_ get away with this!

_Tiresia_: It's sad, _you_ say to _me_ what others will soon say to _you_.

_Rex_: _Ha_! Well you'd think so you _odd little twit_. I _never_ asked for the title of "_king_", they _gave_ it to me! I thought _Chris_ would be loyal, yet he sends this _**gossip queen**_ to tell me lies. I, Rex the king, stopped the sphinx from stealing the mascot, _all on my own_. I'm all powerful.

_(Now losing her spiteful, sarcastic air, Tiresia begins to lose her composure as well)_

_Tiresia_: There's no doubt you're _popular_, but I'm _just as good as you._ I fall under Foley and I _don't_ need _Chris_ to speak for me. You _mock_ me and think I'm wrong but the irony is that you bring _pain_ to your family. You can mock me now, but _you_ will soon _discover_ the truth.

_Rex_: _(Gritting his teeth in frustration) _Leave _now_!

_Tiresia_: I would not have come if you hadn't _asked_ me to.

_Rex_: If I knew you would _insult_ me, I would have _never_—

_(Tiresia interrupts Rex, as if to make a point)_

_Tiresia_: —I will go once I _say_ what I _came to say._ The person you _cursed_ is here, and will soon be revealed, _popularity __will be lost_.

_(She has the appearance of going into a trance-like state)_

_**Revealed at last, brother and father both to the children he embraces, to his mother son and husband both—he sowed the loins his father sewed, spilled his father's blood.**_

Now go solve _that_ riddle and if I'm wrong, _denounce_ me as the all knowing.

_(Tiresia leaves, only the slight breeze from the action lingers)_

_(Leader notices her disappearance—and his friend's strained features, signaling a possible headache—and comfortingly steps beside Rex, mutely offering his condolences.)_

_Leader_: She seems mad, and _you_ as well. We should look for the answers to this riddle.

_(Rex regains his powerful aura of confidence at his friend's words)_

_Rex_: Well, I will solve the riddle; _and_ prove her _wrong!_

_(Rex and his companion leave the stage, Rex rushing in front of Leader—said companion close behind him—all the while not noticing his friend's smirking features)_

_(Posse comes to be noticed, and looks around the stage with an air of confusion.)_

_Posse_: _Who_ is the killer? The horror too frightening, but his time is up and we _must_ figure it out. We need to find this person, _hunt them down_ and _cast him out_. I have no idea who could have killed Laius. Only the gods know, but could one man know the _terrible truth_? But for all man's sake I will _never_ _accuse_ our leader, _Rex_!

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So.... What do you think? Bad? Good? I wanna know!

Just please understand that _any_ flames will be purposefully ignored.

Also please keep in mind that the entire thing was not made by just me, it was a school project. So please judge by those standards.


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